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There’s no better way to maximize rewards earnings and minimize costs than to use a credit card with no annual fee. While you can sometimes get an annual fee waived or receive a retention offer that may offset it, there’s no surefire way to keep out-of-pocket costs to $0 other than using a no-annual-fee card and paying your balance in full each month. Today, I’ll cover the best no annual fee cards to use in 2019.

Earn 1.5% cash back with the Chase Freedom Unlimited. (Photo by Eric Helgas for The Points Guy)

Current bonus: Earn 3% cash back in your first year on spending up to $20,000

Benefits: Instead of the previous $150 sign-up bonus, you can now earn 3% cash back in your first year on up to $20,000 in purchases, giving you up to $600 cash back. After you reach the $20,000 cap you will earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases with no limit. This may not excite you at face value, but if you also hold a premium Ultimate Rewards-earning card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, you can redeem the cash back as points to get 1.5x Ultimate Rewards on all purchase. Since some of your spending probably doesn’t fall within a bonus category, the cumulative effect of increasing rewards by 50% on all your non-bonus expenditures is huge.

Citi Rewards+ Card

Current bonus: Earn 15,000 bonus points worth $150 after you spend $1,000 in purchases with your card within three months of account opening

Benefits: The Rewards+ Card stands out for its unique earning scheme: In addition to earning 2x points on supermarket and gas station purchases (up to $6,000 then 1 point per dollar on everything else), points earnings on all your purchases are rounded up to the nearest 10 points. So if you buy a $1.99 pack of gum at a supermarket, you’ll earn 10 points.

Note that with this card, the points you’re earning can only be transferred to JetBlue or redeemed toward travel, gift cards or statement credits at a rate of 1 cent per point. However, if you also have the Citi Prestige Card or Citi Premier Card, you can move points from the Rewards+ to one of those accounts in order to transfer them to the full selection of Citi airline partners, including Etihad Guest, Singapore KrisFlyer and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

Current bonus: Earn 30,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months

Benefits: The revamped Propel Amex from Wells Fargo stands out for its bonus categories. You’ll get 3x points on eating out and ordering in; on travel including everything from ride-sharing to flights; at gas stations and on select streaming services. Points are worth 1 cent apiece toward statement credit, gift cards, charity donations or travel — unless you have the Wells Fargo Visa Signature® Card, in which case you get 1.5 to 1.75 cents in value per point toward travel through the Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards portal.

Current bonus: Earn $500 after spending $3,000 in the first three months

Benefits: The Ink Business Cash card is an impressive no-annual-fee pick, especially since it’s now offering an elevated bonus of $500 when you spend $3,000 in the first three months. You’ll earn 5% back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account year at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services, and 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants (and 1% back on everything else).

Beyond its very generous bonus, this card stands out because you’re not limited to just earning rewards as cash back. If you also have an Ultimate Rewards-earning card, you can transfer your cash-back rewards and then redeem them as points, which means the 5% back category is equivalent to a 5x category.

The Chase Freedom’s quarterly 5x bonus categories make it a great pick. (Photo by Eric Helgas for The Points Guy)

Current bonus: Earn $150 after spending $500 in the first three months

Benefits: The Freedom card has rotating quarterly bonus categories that reward you with 5% cash back/5 points per dollar on up to $1,500 in eligible spending each quarter you activate. For example, in the third quarter of 2019, you can earn these bonus rewards on spending at gas stations and streaming services. Given how valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points are — and considering that the card comes with a $150 (15,000-point) sign-up bonus after you spend $500 in the first three months — this card packs a real punch.

Current bonus: Earn 75,000 Hilton points after spending $1,000 in the first three months of account opening

Benefits: It’s not often you find a no-annual-fee card (see rates and fees) that offers a decent points bonus and the ability to earn substantial points on bonus spending categories. Bonus categories include 7x points on spending within the Hilton portfolio; 5x points on US restaurant, US supermarket and US gas station purchases; and 3x points on everything else. This card has no foreign transaction fee (see rates and fees).

The card comes with Hilton Honors Silver status, which includes a 20% points bonus, no resort fees on award stays, standard in-room and lobby Wi-Fi, late check-out, fifth standard-award night free and two bottles of water. Spend $20,000 on the card in a calendar year and earn an upgrade to Gold through the end of the next calendar year.

The Discover it Cash Back is another great no-annual-fee card with quarterly bonus categories.

Current bonus: Discover will match your first year’s cash back.

Benefits: Like the Chase Freedom, the Discover it Cash Back has rotating quarterly categories that offer 5% cash back on the first $1,500 in eligible spending and 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases. Enroll every quarter to earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases made in various categories throughout the year. The kicker: Discover’s currently matching all cash back you earn during the first year after account opening. Plus, 1% cash back on all other purchases. That means you’ll get up to 10% cash back on quarterly bonus categories and an unlimited 2% cash back on all other spending — for a year. Plus, this card is really the king; not only does it waive an annual fee, but it also has no over-limit fee, no foreign transaction fees and no late fee on the first late payment.

Benefits: This card earns you an unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases with no rewards cap and no annual fee. You can deposit your rewards into one of six eligible Fidelity account types, and can even choose multiple accounts to direct your rewards into:

Brokerage account

Fidelity Cash Management Account

Fidelity-managed 529 College Savings plan

Retirement account

Fidelity Go account

Fidelity Charitable® Giving Account®

You can even deposit your rewards into a family member’s account. You’ll also enjoy all the additional benefits of a Visa Signature card, like 24/7 concierge and Signature shopping and travel discounts. The card is offered by Elan Financial Services, so it’s a good option if you feel the need to diversify the card issuers you’re opening new accounts with. It does charge a foreign-transaction fee, though at 1% it’s lower than some of the other such fees on this list (you’ll still want to avoid using it abroad).

Current bonus: Earn 25,000 bonus points after spending $2,500 in the first 90 days

Benefits: In 2018, PenFed introduced an incredible no-annual-fee credit card that looks and acts like a premium rewards card. The Pathfinder Rewards card has a 25,000-point sign-up bonus after spending $2,500 on the card in the first 90 days of account opening. It earns 3x points on all travel purchases (PenFed Honors Advantage members earn 4x on travel purchases) and the card earns 1.5x points on all other purchases every day. Every point with PenFed is basically worth 1 cent each. The sign-up bonus and earnings rates alone for a no-annual-fee card would be plenty to make this a great option, but the card offers even more.

Every five years you receive a credit of up to $100 for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck registration fee and you receive a $100 annual airline-fee credit. Use the credit for incidentals like lounge access, checked baggage or onboard purchases on any US-headquartered airline (can be used across multiple airlines for a total of $100). You must be a member of PenFed to get the card; however, almost anyone can qualify, with no military service required. This is a really impressive product to have no annual fee.

Amex EveryDay Card from American Express

Current bonus: Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $1,000 in the first three months

Benefits: This card is one of two personal no-annual-fee cards I know of with the ability to transfer points directly to travel partners. It gives you the opportunity to earn up to 1.2 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar — if you use your card for at least 20 transactions in a month, you’ll be rewarded with a 20% point bonus. You also earn 2x points on the first $6,000 you spend at US supermarkets each year (then 1x).

The card is currently offering a welcome bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $1,000 in the first three months of account opening. This card also charges a 2.7% foreign transaction fee. Be careful you don’t confuse this no-annual-fee card with the Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card from American Express, which can earn you up to 1.5 Membership Rewards on all purchases and 3x points at US supermarkets (on the first $6,000 spent per year) but carries a $95 annual fee.

The information for the Amex EveryDay Credit Card and Amex EveryDay Preferred Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Besides 10x earnings on Hotels.com, the card earns 1.25 miles per dollar spent every day with no cap. With the ability to earn more than 1% back toward travel and save 20% on almost any hotel by combining 10x points earned with the Hotels.com Rewards program, the Capital One VentureOne is a top no-annual-fee card to consider.

Uber Visa Card

Earn 2% back on Uber rides with the company’s no annual fee card. (Photo courtesy Uber)

Current bonus: Earn $100 after spending $500 in the first 90 days.

Benefits: The no-annual-fee Uber Visa card offers great bonus spending categories with the points earned redeemable toward Uber credit, gift cards, or cash back. Earn 4% back on restaurants, takeout and bars, including UberEats; 3% back on airfare, hotel and vacation home rentals; 2% back on online purchases, including Uber, online shopping, video and music streaming services (certain online purchases are excluded, including third-party payment services); and 1% back on all other purchases.

The card also has no foreign-transaction fees, cellphone insurance up to $600, and offers a $50 credit for an online music, video, or shopping subscription service when you spend $5,000 on the card in a calendar year. That is a lot of rewards and potential and ancillary benefits from a no-annual-fee card. My only request: Give us 4% back on Uber rides instead of 2%.

Current bonus: Earn 25,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days.

Benefits: This card is pretty straightforward: It earns 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases with no limit. If you’re a Preferred Rewards member, you can increase that bonus to 25% to 75% (depending on how much you have in total assets across accounts with Bank of America). In addition to having no annual fee, this card waives foreign transaction fees.

You can redeem points to cover travel expenses such as flights, hotels, rental cars and baggage fees. The card is offering new cardholders 25,000 points after they make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. Those points can be redeemed for a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.

Honorable No Annual Fee Credit Cards Mentions

The Blue Business®️ Plus Credit Card from American Express — It’s a business card so not everyone will be eligible to get it, but if you are, the Blue Business Plus is a fantastic no-annual-fee addition to your purse or wallet. (see rates and fees) The card earns 2x Membership Rewards points on all purchases up to $50,000 a year (then 1x) and the points can be transferred to all of Amex’s airline and hotel partners just like any other card in the Membership Rewards family. Based on TPG’s current valuations, that means you’ll earn a return of 4 cents on every dollar you spend with this card, which is hard to beat. Just make sure you don’t use the Blue Business Plus overseas, as it does charge a 2.7% foreign-transaction fee (see rates and fees).

Citi® Double Cash Card— There are no bells or whistles on this card, but if simplicity is what you’re looking for, then the Citi Double Cash Card is worth considering. It earns 2% cash back on every purchase — 1% when you make the purchase, and then another 1% when you pay it off. No points, no caps, no categories and no annual fee. The only restriction is that you must accumulate $25 in cash back before you can redeem your rewards. Like several other cards on this list, you won’t want to use this card on international purchases because of its 3% foreign-transaction fee.

Wells Fargo Visa Signature® Card — This card is a lot of fun — at least for the first six months after you open an account, since you’ll get 5x points on gas station, grocery store and drugstore purchases. The card has a sign-up bonus a few times a year, so be on the lookout for it. Points are worth 1 cent each for cash back, but if you redeem for airfare through the Wells Fargo Rewards travel portal, they’re worth 1.5 cents each, meaning you earn 7.5x points toward airfare on all gas, grocery and drugstore purchases for six months on the first $12,500 in spending. Note that this card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee. The information related to the Wells Fargo Visa Signature Card has been collected by The Points Guy and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.

Credit Cards with No Annual Fee the First Year

Many top cards carry annual fees that range from $100 to $500+, but in order to entice customers to try out the product, the issuers will waive the annual fee for the first year. This can be a great way to try out more valuable rewards cards without committing to paying higher fees. A few top options in this category include:

Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard

The information for the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Current bonus: 50,000 AAdvantage miles, worth $700 based on TPG valuations, after spending $2,500 in the first three months. Alternatively, the business version of this card — the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Mastercard — offers 60,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months.

Standout benefits: Earn 2x at restaurants and gas stations and on eligible American Airlines purchases; 1x on all other purchases. First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation. No foreign transaction fees. Earn a $100 American Airlines flight discount after spending $20,000 or more in purchases during your card year and renewing your card.

What is an Annual Fee?

Many credit card issuers charge their customers an annual fee to increase revenue and offset administrative costs like customer service, technological services and the simple act of producing your credit card. These fees will usually appear on your first statement each year in the month that you opened your card. So if you opened a credit card in June, every June you can expect to be charged the annual fee.

Who should Get a No Annual Fee Credit Card?

The cards on this list represent the best of the best when it comes to no-annual-fee cards, but you’ll find better bonuses, perks and bonus categories on cards with an annual fee. You should stick to no-annual-fee cards only if you can’t afford to pay the fee or if you’re not yet sure you want to get serious about travel rewards.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to take multiple free trips a year, fly in premium cabins or stay in luxury hotels, you’ll almost definitely need cards with an annual fee to make that happen. Annual fees might seem counterintuitive if the goal is to get free travel, but if you look at the numbers, you often end up getting far more in return than you spend in fees.

Should I Downgrade my Annual Fee Credit Card?

This is a great question. Many top-rated travel cards with an annual fee offer strong welcome bonuses that make them a no-brainer for the first year. However, once you’ve gotten your bonus, you want to keep the account open to boost your credit score without racking up too many annual fees. An easy answer is to downgrade to a no-annual-fee card. Say, you opened the Chase Sapphire Reserve to earn the bonus, but in the second year you decide you don’t want to pay the $450 annual fee. Simply downgrade to a Chase Freedom or Freedom Unlimited, and your problem is solved. Just be aware that upgrading or downgrading might make it harder for you to earn the bonus on that card in the future, so you’ll have to factor that into your plans.

Bottom Line

As you can see, you don’t need to pay an annual fee to earn valuable rewards with a credit card. Whether they earn cash back or points that can be redeemed toward travel, the options listed above represent great opportunities to rack up rewards. There are cases when a credit card’s benefits can justify paying an annual fee, but it’s good to know that there are several solid no-annual-fee options as well.

Additional reporting by Katie Genter

Featured photo by Matt Dutile/Getty Images.

For rates and fees of the Hilton Amex card, please click here.For rates and fees of the Blue Business Plus card, please click here.

This is The Points Guy’s permanent page for the best no annual fee credit cards, so you can bookmark it and check back regularly for updates. Keep in mind you may see some reader comments referring to older offers below.

Updated on 8/30/19

Ethan Steinberg
joined TPG as a points and miles contributor in early 2017 and loves sharing his high-value redemption strategies with readers. If you asked him where he wants to travel next he'd quote Anthony Bourdain and tell you "anytime I'm eating spicy noodles in a bowl, I'm happy.

No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.

Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. If anyone on our team
wouldn't recommend an offer to a friend or family member, we wouldn't recommend it on The Points Guy
either. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising
partners.

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Please view our advertising policy page for more information.

Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Please view our advertising policy page for more information.

Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.